Donald Trump's foreign policy: 'America first'
Updated 2222 GMT (0522 HKT) April 27, 2016
Story highlights
- The Republican front-runner will drop his off-the-cuff style in favor of reading prepared remarks
- Trump's speech may also help skeptical foreign policy experts drill down on the details of his vision
Washington (CNN)Donald Trump had a foreign policy sales pitch for U.S. voters and a blunt message for the world Wednesday: America comes first.
The
Republican presidential front-runner proposed a sweeping redirection of
America's global role in a major speech, part of a string of planned
addresses designed to flesh out what a Trump administration would look
like and to establish leadership credentials ahead of an increasingly
probable general election clash with Democrat and former Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton.
The
billionaire businessman simultaneously addressed restive American
voters and global elites worried by his fiery rhetoric on national
security: He stressed that the United States would always puts its
economic and foreign policy interests first but said that allies in
Europe, Asia and the Middle East would benefit from a much stronger,
less ambiguous U.S. role in the world -- as long as they were prepared
to pay up.
"America first will be
the overriding theme of my administration," Trump said in his remarks at
Washington's Mayflower hotel, delivered from a prepared text and in a
subdued fashion starkly at odds with the free-wheeling rhetorical style
that has powered his political rise on the campaign trail.
"Under
a Trump administration, no American citizen will ever again feel that
their needs come second to the citizens of foreign countries," Trump
said.
He added, "My foreign policy will always put the interests of the American people and American security first."
The speech appeared to be a multi-pronged attempt to reach out to a host
of important constituencies. First, he appealed to a Republican foreign
policy establishment that has been highly critical at points of his
credentials on global national security policy. Second, he tried to
reach wavering Republicans who may be excited by his harsh critique of
the "Obama-Clinton" foreign policy. And third, he sought an affirmation
to loyal supporters who have flocked to his "Make America Great" slogan
amid claims that the United States is weak and not respected by its
enemies or foes. His remarks immediately elicited criticism from
Democrats, but some GOP insiders offered positive words that have until
now been in short supply for Trump.
He spoke the morning after a sweep of
five primary states that drew him markedly closer to the delegate total
needed to claim the Republican nomination and at a time when his
campaign has begun a broad effort to cast him in a more presidential
light.
But Trump often lacked
specifics, delivering little in the way of a recognizable foreign
strategy and repeating many of his campaign trail declarations, and did
not explain in detail how his ideas would be implemented or touch on the
likely response from American allies and enemies to his sharp
reorientation of U.S. global principles.
In
comments likely to cause shockwaves among U.S friends in Europe and
Asia, Trump previewed early attempts to cut deals with Russia and China
-- seen by many adversaries as bent on overthrowing the current security
order guaranteed by America. If there was not a good deal to be had,
Trump warned, he would be prepared to walk away.
But
he also said he would not rush to war, striking an isolationist note
that contrasts with the last Republican administration of George W.
Bush.
However, Trump was introduced
by Zalmay Khalilzad, President George W. Bush's former ambassador to
Afghanistan, Iraq and the permanent representative to the United
Nations.
"I will never send our
finest into battle unless necessary, and I mean absolutely necessary,
and will only do so if we have a plan for victory with a capital V,"
Trump emphasized.
Trump opened his
speech vowing to "shake the rust off America's foreign policy" and said
he would outline a vision for a U.S. foreign policy "that replaces
randomness with purpose, ideology with strategy and chaos with peace."
The
billionaire then tore into Obama's foreign policy, panning the Iran
nuclear deal and claiming the President has "weakened our military by
weakening our economy."
He sought
to wrap Clinton in his criticism of the Obama administration as well,
referring to the "legacy of the Obama-Clinton interventions" as one of
"weakness, confusion and disarray."
At
the same time, he offered an olive branch of sorts to Muslim allies of
the United States in rare remarks pointing to the ways in which the U.S.
can have constructive relations with the Muslim world.
"We're
going to be working very closely with our friends in the Muslim world,
which are all at risk for violent attacks," he said.
His comments on Muslims and Middle East partners have been lightning rods throughout the campaign.
Trump
had previously called for a temporary ban on Muslim foreigners entering
the United States and suggested that U.S. Middle East allies need to
shoulder more of the cost of American military involvement in the
region.
But he added that these countries also need to acknowledge America's contributions.
"This has to be a two-way street," he said. "They must also be good to us. It's no longer one way, it's two way."
What Trump says about NATO and what it actually does 02:23
Trump
also put America's allies elsewhere on notice that they, too, must
start making a more tangible financial contribution. He said he would
call summits in Europe and Asia to discuss "a rebalancing of
commitments."
He previewed a
substantial shift toward two of America's most important global rivals,
China and Russia. He vowed to reverse China's "assault on America's jobs
and wealth" and to use America's "economic power" over China to bring
Beijing into line.
But he also
pledged to fix relations with the rising Asian giant, saying that a
stronger America would win more respect from its Communist leaders. But
if that didn't work, Trump said he would be prepared to walk away,
without offering specifics on the economic and national security
consequences that would entail.
"We can both benefit or we can both go our separate ways. If need be, that's what's going to happen," he warned.
Reaction to Trump's speech from his political foes was swift and scathing.
Former
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who supports Clinton, described
his comments as a "simplistic" mixture of slogans and contradictions.
"He
just underscored the fact that he is running the most reckless and
dangerous presidential campaign in modern history," Albright said on a
Clinton campaign conference call.
On
the same call, Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine said that the last
thing the world needed was an "unpredictable" United States, saying
allies needed to know they could count on Washington and adversaries
needed to understand there will consequences for acting against America.
Trump's
main Republican rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, said the speech showed that
Trump "fails the presidential test" and pressured the billionaire to
force any foreign policy advisers who have worked as lobbyists to
declare their links to foreign governments.
But GOP Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, praised the speech.
"Today,
Donald Trump delivered a very good foreign policy speech in which he
laid out his vision for American engagement in the world," Corker said.
"I look forward to hearing more details, but in a year where angry
rhetoric has defined the presidential race on both sides of the aisle,
it is my hope that candidates in both parties will begin focusing not
only on the problems we face but on solutions."
And
former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich tweeted that though
elites would ridicule the speech, Trump had delivered a "serious"
foreign policy address worth thinking and arguing about.
Though
Trump noted ahead of time that he wouldn't be outlining a "doctrine," he
did criticize Obama for too often telegraphing its military moves in
advance, thereby tipping off enemies, a practice he pledged to end.
"We have to be unpredictable. And we have to be unpredictable starting now," he said.
And
he offered a glimpse into his political purpose, saying it was time to
flush out ineffective establishment foreign policy operatives, striking a
similar note to his themes on domestic issues.
"We
have to look to new people because many of the old people frankly don't
know what they're doing, even though they may look awfully good writing
in the New York Times or being watched on television."
He
closed by expanding on his trademark slogan: "We must make America
respected again. We must make America truly wealthy again and we must,
we have to and we will make America great again," he declared. "And if
we do that, perhaps this century can be the most peaceful and prosperous
the world has ever ever known."
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